Going over your calories...

Danihoo8
Danihoo8 Posts: 11 Member
edited November 16 in Health and Weight Loss
I just started today and put in my calories and exceeded it by a bit. This is maybe a silly question but what happens if you go over? Do you need to sibstrsct that from the following day? I'm trying to weigh myself on a weekly basis so I want to know how to deal with this. Of course from tomorrow I'm going to stay on track and within:) any advice greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • Idontcareyoupick
    Idontcareyoupick Posts: 2,854 Member
    Just take it as what it is, and start fresh tomorrow
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
    Personally, I wouldn't worry about going over calories a bit. Just get back to tracking as usual tomorrow and you probably won't even notice a difference on the scale.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    0.5 lb loss per week = goal is 250 under what you would need to maintain current weight.
    1 lb loss per week = goal is 500 under what you would need to maintain current weight.
    1.5 lb loss per week = goal is 750 under what you would need to maintain current weight.
    2 lb loss per week = goal is 1000 under what you would need to maintain current weight.

    So you do have some wiggle room for errors and going over. How much you go over, could potentially slow weight loss for the week. It would take a lot to make you gain fat for the week though (well unless your at the 0.5 lb range. That's were things get tricky.).
  • SusanMFindlay
    SusanMFindlay Posts: 1,804 Member
    edited March 2017
    Did you pick 1 pound/week as your goal? If so, you can go "over" your calories by 500 and still have a deficit and still be on track to lose weight. A lot of people tend to forget that, and I think it's important to remember.

    There's absolutely no reason to be "in the green" every single day. You want to hit that number *on average*. That means you'll have higher days and lower days. As long as your average is in that ballpark, you'll still lose weight at the expected rate.
  • kkress92
    kkress92 Posts: 118 Member
    Depending on the rate of weight loss you chose, MFP has built a calorie deficit into your daily goal. For a 1 lb. per week loss, the deficit is 500 cal per day, for half a pound per week loss, 250 cal.

    This means if you just go a little bit over, once in a while, it likely won't affect your weight loss too much, you'll just lose slightly slower. Even if you completely wiped out your deficit, you'd just maintain your current weight. Remember, you don't gain actual, true fat weight unless you are eating at a caloric surplus.

  • ishyramirez1224
    ishyramirez1224 Posts: 9 Member
    HlthDtour wrote: »
    Get up and burn some calories. There is nothing wrong with putting on a good song and jumping around. Or you can just forgive yourself, move on and do better tomorrow. It's more of a marathon than a sprint I think.

    Exactly! One minute of jumping jacks burns 10 calories! I've done several sets on several occasions to get rid of a few xtra calories from time to time.lol!
  • DietPrada
    DietPrada Posts: 1,171 Member
    Make it a habit to put in your meals before you eat them. Controlling your calories is rather like budgeting, you have a set amount, and you make them last the whole day. It doesn't hurt to put the whole day in before you eat them, but I generally put in morning coffee and lunch, and then I know how many I've got left for dinner etc.
  • mmmpork
    mmmpork Posts: 133 Member
    Depends on how much I go over. If it's less than 100 I just try to watch it the next day. More than 100 and I try to make it up. If I'm hungry however, I eat within the 100 and watch the scale. If my tragectory stays on track then my daily calorie goal might be too low. If I keep going over and I'm plateauing or gaining, I look at what I'm eating to see how to best adjust it.
  • Fat_Fighter87
    Fat_Fighter87 Posts: 61 Member
    Personally I wouldn't worry about it. If you want to be counting every calorie you eat for the rest of your life then yes but otherwise it's far healthier to view this app as a tool for changing your lifestyle.

    Everybody on here seems fixated with calories because yes eating less of them makes you lose weight, however there are also other factors at play like what you actually eat. For example you could have a Mcdonalds breakfast every day, a chocolate bar for lunch and then a salad at night but still be under your calories. Or you could have a big bowl of oats with fruit for breakfast, a huge salad for lunch and a home made extra lean burger with sweet potato wedges or similar and be 100 cals over - I know which one I would feel better after eating.

    Counting calories is great for weightloss and it does work but if you start beating yourself up for going slightly over it can get obsessive. Tried and tested I'm afraid
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    i look at my weekly goal, and aim to be 100-200 cals under goal monday - thursday so that i don't have to worry if i go out to eat at the weekend or have a drink or 2.
  • Lavelle1980
    Lavelle1980 Posts: 367 Member
    I go over my calories almost 3x's a week, however, I either go walking, do some home workouts to combat the caloric surplus. The daily diary is beneficial to my psych in order to hold myself accountable. However, If you happen to just go over and the day is over. No worries. The calories are just an Estimate only, you could be burning them off by other activities or maybe you haven't actually consumed the actual number.

    No need to subtract from the next day. It's a new day, Just pick up where you left off.
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